Rough End to 2012 for California on Jobs Front

For a year that saw slow-but-steady job growth in California, 2012 came to a disappointing end. Friday's report shows a 17,500 job loss in December, while the unemployment rate held steady at 9.8 percent.

Chapman University economist Esmael Adibi says the fiscal cliff
uncertainty in Washington likely gave employers pause last month,
as did a holiday shopping season that fell below
expectations. And looking ahead, Adibi warns, the social
security payroll tax increase and continued lack of a debt and
deficit deal mean things might not improve soon.

Adibi:"Job creation is going to
be very anemic. I mean, it's gonna be still positive, but
it's not gonna pick up steam until we remove that
uncertainty."

So, look for job growth in 2013 to be a lot like 2012 - two
steps forward, one step back.